Match-box.



PATENTBD DEC. 11, 1906.

By. P HARRISON.

MATCH BOX.. APPLICATION FILED JAN-24, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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No 837,928. PATBNTED DEC. 11, 1906. E. P. HARRISON.

ATGH BOX.

APPLICATION FILED IAN-24, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.-

lnoento'c EVANS P. HARRISON, OF CYPRESS, SOUTH CAROLINA.

MATCH-BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 11,1906.

Application filed January 24, 1906. Serial No. 297,629.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EVANS P. HARRISON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cypress, in the county of Lee, State of South Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Match-Boxes and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to match-boxes, and more particularly to single-delivery matchboxes, and has for its object to provide a match-box of this kind which will be efficient in operation and which may be carried in the pocket.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figure 1 is an elevational view of the present invention compressed and with a match discharged therefrom. Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken through the dischargeport and the plunger. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the inner cylinder with the cap removed, the follower being turned in position to permit of charging the box. Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the inner cylinder with the lower disk removed to show the followeractuating spring. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the inner side of the cap, showing the closingjaws. Fig. 6 is an enlarged perspective view showing the upper portion of the inner casing partly broken away and illustrating the arrangement of the follower-shaft and the stop for the follower-shaft.

Referring now to the drawings, the present invention comprises an outer cylinder 5 and an inner cylinder 6, the latter being slidably engaged in the former. The cylinder 6 has a bottom 7, and secured to the bottom therebeneath and in spaced relation thereto there is a disk 8, which is connected with the bottom 7 by means of spacing members 9, with one of which there is engaged the outer end of a coilspring 10, the inner end of this spring being engaged through an opening 11 in a vertical follower-shaft 12, which has its lower end revolubly engaged in registering perforations 13, formed in the bottom 7 and disk 8, the shaft being enlarged between the bottom and disk, as shown at 14, to prevent downward movement of the shaft through the opening,

as will be understood, the opening in the disk being smaller than the enlargement. A spiral spring 15 is engaged between the disk 8 and the bottom of the outer cylinder 5, with its minor end directed downwardly, and the inner cylinder 6 is thus held yieldably at the upward limit of its movement, this limit being fixed by stops 16.

The bottom 7 and the disk 8 have vertically-registering openings 7 and 8, respectively, adjacent to their peripheries, and secured vertically within the cylinder 5 to the bottom thereof there is a plunger 17, which lies normally with its upper extremity just within the opening 7 and with its up er end flush with the upper surface of the tiottom 7. It will thus be seen that downward movement of the inner cylinder 6 will result in projection of the plunger 17 through the openings 7 and 8 into the inner cylinder.

Located within the cylinder 6 and disposed concentrically therewith there is a hollow cylindrical core 18, which lies in spaced relation to the walls of the cylinder and which has a longitudinal slot 19 therein. Mounted upon the shaft 12 there is a vertical plate 20, which lies within the core 18 and which extends outwardly through the slot 19 thereof, this outwardly extending portion of the plate forming a follower 20, as will be afterward apparent. The core is secured to the plate 20 so that it revolves therewith and with the shaft 12 when the latter is revolved, and the coil-spring 10, as will be seen, is arranged to hold the follower against one side of a vertical stop member 21, which is secured within the casing 6 at one side of and adjacent to the opening 7 the spring 10 being arranged to hold the follower against that side of the stop at which the opening 7 lies. Adjacent to its ends the stop member is provided with notches 22 in its inner edge ,which receive hoops 23, secured to the follower 20' and encircling the core 18, the hoops lying in spaced relation to the core, and the core and follower thus lie within the inclosure of these hoops and the hoops are movable with the shaft 12. A transversely-extending plate 24 extends diametrically of the inner cylinder 6 and is secured at its ends thereto, and this plate 24 has a central perforation 25, in which the upper end of the shaft 12 is revolubly engaged, and the upper end of the shaft is turned laterally and then upwardly to form a crank 26, by means of which it may be revolved.

It will be seen that the shaft 12 may be revolved against the action of the spring 10 to bring the follower 20 against the opposite side of the stop 21 from that at which the opening 7 lies, and that matches may then be inserted between the hoops 23 and the core 18, these matches lying between the follower and the stop-piece, and a lug 26 is carried by the plate 24 and is arranged to receive the crank 26 therebehind to hold the follower in position to permit of charging the box, the shaft being susceptible of slight vertical movement to permit of its passage over the lug 26 when the follower is moved into the just-mentioned position. It will thus be seen that when the crank 26 is disengaged from the stop 26 the follower will act to move the matches in the direction of the stop-piece 21, and one match will lie above the upper end of the plunger 17, so that when the box is compressed the plunger will engage this match to raise it above the others.

A closure 27 is provided for the upper end of the inner cylinder 6 and has an opening 28 lying above the opening 7 and it will be seen that a match projected upwardly, as described above, will be moved through this opening 28. Within the cap 27 there are a pair of spring-jaws 29, having heads 30,

which lie normally in cooperative relation to close the opening 28, these heads having their lower faces diverged for the reception of the upper end of a match therebetween. The spring action of the jaws is such that they are held yieldingly against movement away from each other, so that when the match is forced upwardly the jaws will be separated and the match will pass upwardly through the opening 28, when it may be grasped by the fingers and withdrawn from the box.

What is claimed is 1. A match-box including a casing having an opening in the bottom thereof and having a removable top provided with an opening in registration with that of the bottom, a shaft revolubly mounted within the casing, a core connected with the shaft for rotation therewith and lying in spaced relation to the casing, said core and casing being circular in cross-section, a stop-piece disposed within the casin longitudinally thereof and outwardly of the core and at one side of the registering openings, a follower carried by the core and extending into the space 'between it and the casing, means for holding the follower yieldably against the side of the stop-piece at which the registering openings lie, said follower being movable to lie against the opposite side of the stop-piece, and means for holding the follower at times in its last-named position, said core and casing being arranged for the reception of matches therebetween, and a member arranged for introduction into one of the openings to move a match outwardly through the other opening.

' 2. A match-box including a casing having an opening in the bottom thereof and having a removable top provided with an opening in registration with that of the bottom, a shaft revolubly mounted within the casing, a core connected with the shaft for rotation therewith and lying in spaced relation to the easing, said core and casing being circular in cross-section, asto -piece disposed within the casing longitudina ly thereof and outwardly of the core and at one side of the registering openings, a follower carried by the core and extending into the space between it and the casing, and means for holding the follower yieldably against the side of the stop-piece at which the registering openings lie, said follower being movable to lie against the opposite side of the stop-piece, said core and casing being arranged for the reception of matches therebetween, and a member arranged for introduction into one of the openings to move a match outwardly through the other opening.

3. In a match-box, the combination with a cylinder arranged to receive matches and having an opening in one end for the passage of matches therethrough, of a core revolubly mounted within the cylinder in spaced relation to the walls thereof, said cylinder and casing being arranged for the reception of matches therebetween, means for discharging matches successively through the opening, a follower carried by the core and extending into the space between it and the cylinder for engagement of matches therebetween, and means for holding the follower to move the matches successively into position for engagement by the match-discharging means.

4:. A match box comprising inner and outer casings, the inner casing having a central opening in its bottom, a disk disposed in spaced relation to the bottom of the inner casing outwardly thereof, an attaching-piece between the disk and the bottom, said disk and bottom having registering central perforations and having registering perforations adj aoent to their peripheries, a plunger secured within the outer casing and lying in position for passage through the peripheral perforations of the plates when the inner casing is moved into the outer casing, means for limiting the outward movement of the inner casing, a spring disposed between the disk and the bottom of the outer casing and arranged to hold the inner casing yieldably at the outward limit of its movement, said plunger being arranged to lie with its free end flush with the inner face of the bottom of the inner casing when the inner casing is at the outward limit of its movement, a cross-plate secured to the inner casing at the outer end thereof, a shaft revolubly engaged in the cross-plate and in the central perforations of foo the disk and bottom of the inner casing, said shaft being enlarged between the disk and bottom to prevent inward movement of the shaft, said enlargement having an opening therethrough, a coil-spring engaged at its inner end in the opening and at its outer end with the attaching-piece, a vertical plate secured upon the shaft within the inner casing, a cylindrical core disposed within the inner casing in spaced relation to the Walls thereof, said core having a longitudinal slot therein through which one side of the plate projects, said side of the plate extending into the space between the core and the inner casing, said peripheral perforation of the bottom communicating with the space between the core and the inner casing, a stop-piece secured to the inner casing at one side of said perforation, said coil-spring being arranged to hold the shaft with the outwardly-extending portion of the plate yieldably against the side of the stop-piece nearest to saidperipheral perforation of the bottom, a closure for the inner casing provided with an opening registering with the peripheral openings of the disk and bottom of the inner casing, and means for closing said opening of the closure, said space between the core and the inner casing being arranged for the reception of matches, said closing means being arranged for engagement by a match for movement into inoperative position.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EVANS P. HARRISON. Witnesses:

R. H. HARRISON, H. ENOOH. 

